Oliver’s heart pounded in his chest like a drumbeat out of sync with the rest of the world. The room felt both cavernous and claustrophobic as he took a hesitant step forward. His voice trembled as he broke the silence: “Anna, may I have a moment? There’s something I need to tell you.”
She turned around, and in the soft light, her face was a landscape of emotions. Surprise at his interruption, curiosity about his solemn tone, and something else, perhaps a flicker of intuitive understanding that what he was about to say was no small matter.